This invention relates to storage racks, and more particularly, to a reinforced storage rack.
Conventional upright posts and horizontal beams in storage racks are typically made of metal, such as steel, and are hollow for reasons of economy. The storage racks are usually utilized to support loaded pallets or other articles upon its horizontal beams. Such pallets are normally inserted and removed by forklift trucks. Occasionally, the front or back of a forklift truck accidentally strikes one or more of the posts of the storage rack, causing the post to bend and kink at a position slightly below the connection of the beam to the post or at the point of impact.
Excessive or continuous bending and kinking of a post can cause the storage rack to become unstable and possibly tip over, or even collapse, creating a potentially hazardous condition.
On other occasions, the weight of the loaded pallets may be greater than the load-carrying capacity of the beams, causing the beams to deflect or bow downwardly at an excessive amount. Such conditions may undesirably interfere with the amount of usable storage space below the beams and may cause the storage rack to become unstable. Furthermore, excessive beam deflection may cause the load to tumble or tip creating damage to the load and presenting a potential safety hazard to personnel. Moreover, excessive bowing of a beam may prevent the tines of the forklift truck from becoming aligned with the pallet, which is supported on the beam, making removal of the loaded pallet by forklift trucks difficult, if not impossible. This creates a very undesirable situation.
Solving these problems by using solid steel beams and posts to provide stronger support members is very expensive and economically prohibitive for most manufacturers and customers. Utilizing hollow beams and posts with larger outer dimensions and cross-sections reduces the overall load-carrying capacity and storage space of the rack.
In an effort to solve the problem of forklift impact, some prior art posts have been constructed with external protectors, post-guards and shields made of metal or wood, while other types of prior art posts have been reinforced with an internal metal angle along one side. These prior art posts have met with varying degrees of success.
To prevent debris, such as foodstuff and other comestible material, from accumulating within the interior of a hollow post, which might otherwise undesirably attract rodents and insects, particularly in grocery warehouses, some prior art posts have been filled with plastic foam. While these prior art posts have been beneficial for preventing debris accumulation, they do not effectively eliminate the problems of forklift impact as described above.
It is therefore desirable to construct a storage rack which is economical and substantially resists forklift impact, bending and deflection without interfering with the overall load-carrying capacity and storage space of the rack.